Liz’s Morning Devotional based upon Upper Room
March 1, 2022
Read Joshua 1:1-9
1 After Moses the LORD’s servant died, the LORD spoke to Joshua, Nun’s son. He had been Moses’ helper. 2 “My servant Moses is dead. Now get ready to cross over the Jordan with this entire people to the land that I am going to give to the Israelites. 3 I am giving you every place where you set foot, exactly as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will stretch from the desert and the Lebanon as far as the great Euphrates River, including all Hittite land, up to the Mediterranean Sea on the west. 5 No one will be able to stand up against you during your lifetime. I will be with you in the same way I was with Moses. I won’t desert you or leave you. 6 Be brave and strong, because you are the one who will help this people take possession of the land, which I pledged to give to their ancestors. 7 “Be very brave and strong as you carefully obey all of the Instruction that Moses my servant commanded you. Don’t deviate even a bit from it, either to the right or left. Then you will have success wherever you go. 8 Never stop speaking about this Instruction scroll. Recite it day and night so you can carefully obey everything written in it. Then you will accomplish your objectives and you will succeed. 9 I’ve commanded you to be brave and strong, haven’t I? Don’t be alarmed or terrified, because the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
Good Morning! God is with us wherever we go!
God commands Joshua to be brave and strong because his Lord will be there with him wherever he goes. God calls us today to follow this lead. As we spoke yesterday, how times have changed since our childhoods, it is easy to become overwhelmed with fear and worry. Just as God repeated his words be brave and strong to Joshua three times within this short passage, God will continue to tell us as many times as it takes.
For me, the hardest part is putting all of the negative words and images that are spouted incessantly by the news broadcasts and especially by social media. The only way that I have found to counter the evil forces in the world is to talk to God and share these burdens with God who can overcome all evil and adversity.
We are called to minister to those surrounded by evil because God created all and all can be saved. When I feel myself growing weary, I return to Scripture and remember the power of God’s love is the source of my strength. Through faith in Christ, I can walk confidently into adversity and work to fulfill my mission to go out and make disciples of all nations.
Loving God, Thank You for loving us. Again, we come to you as we sense that evil has gained the upper hand in our world. Help us find the strength that you have promised us as we turn our worries over to you. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: Because God is for me, I will not give in to fear.
God says to us, Be brave and strong! Pastor Liz
Thank you! Our God can save and redeem anyone and anything! Amen!